Insomnia: Improving Your Sleep

Introduction

Insomnia means that you have trouble falling asleep or
staying asleep. It is a common problem. Most people will have sleep problems
now and then because of temporary stress, worry, or an irregular schedule. But
when you have trouble sleeping for weeks or months, it can lead to health
problems. Worrying about it only makes it worse.

The good news is
that if you can change the way you think about sleep, and then make some simple
lifestyle changes, you may improve how well you sleep. This topic will give
you some tips on how to do just that.

Lots of things affect how well you sleep.
Keeping a sleep diary can help you figure out what helps and also what may get
in the way of a good night's sleep.

Lots of things affect
how well you sleep. For example, what, when, and how much you eat and drink can
affect your sleep. Eating a large meal close to bedtime can make it hard to
sleep, but a light snack right before bed may help you sleep. Your exercise
habits and the physical environment of your bedroom can also affect how well
you sleep. Certain habits can make it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep.

The more you know about what affects your sleep, the more likely
you are to make lifestyle changes that can lead to better sleep.

The choices you
make every day often become the habits that are a regular part of your
lifestyle. Changing habits can lead to a lifestyle that promotes better sleep.
Lifestyle habits and sleep practices are strongly related
to overall sleep quality. For example:

Alcohol may make you feel sleepy, but it also
may upset your sleep. If you usually have a couple glasses of wine before
bedtime and seem to always wake up at 3 a.m., try having a drink with no
alcohol (and no caffeine) instead.

Here are some tips that
may help you sleep more soundly and wake up feeling more refreshed. You might
want to start slowly at first. Pick one thing to change, and see how that
change affects your sleep. After a week or two, try to add another change. As
you make changes, you might want to keep a
sleep diary(What is a PDF document?) to figure out what things help you to sleep better and what things
may get in the way of a good night's sleep. Step by step, your sleep should
improve. If it doesn't, talk to your doctor.

Food and drink

Limit caffeine (coffee, tea, caffeinated sodas)
during the day, and don't have any for at least 4 to 6 hours before
bedtime.

Don't drink alcohol late in the evening. You may fall asleep with
no problems, but drinking alcohol before bed can wake you up later in the
night. Otherwise, drink in moderation. Try to limit alcohol to 2 standard drinks a day
for men and 1 drink a day for women.

Avoid heavy meals close to bedtime. But a light snack may help
you sleep.

Don't go to bed thirsty. But don't drink so much that
you have to get up often to urinate during the night.

Healthy habits

Go to bed at a regular bedtime every
night.

Wake up at the same time each day, including weekends, even
if you haven't slept well.

Get regular exercise. Don't exercise
within 3 to 4 hours of bedtime, because the activity can make it hard to get to
sleep.

Get plenty of sunlight in the outdoors, especially in the morning
and in late afternoon.

Set aside time for problem solving earlier in the day so that you
don't carry anxious thoughts to bed. Keep a notepad by your bed to write down
any thoughts or worries that may keep you up or wake you up during the night.

Do something relaxing before bedtime. Try deep breathing, yoga,
meditation, tai chi, or muscle relaxation. Take a warm bath. Play a quiet game,
or read a book.

In bed

Reserve the bed for sleep and sex. A bit of
light reading may help you fall asleep. But if it doesn't, do your reading
elsewhere in the house. Don't watch TV in bed.

Be sure your bed is
big enough to stretch out comfortably, especially if you have a sleep
partner.

Use earplugs or sleep in a different room if your partner's
snoring keeps you awake. If you notice that your partner is sleeping on his or
her back, turn your partner to his or her side. This may help your partner stop
snoring. You may also want to encourage your partner to see a doctor to find
out what may be causing him or her to snore.

Reduce the noise in the house, or mask it with a steady low
noise, such as a fan on slow speed or a radio tuned to static. Use comfortable
earplugs if you need them.

Keep the room cool and dark. If you
can't darken the room, use a sleep mask.

If watching the clock
makes you anxious about sleep, turn the clock so you can't see it, or put it in
a drawer.

Use a pillow and mattress that are comfortable for
you.

Consider making your bed off-limits to your children and your
pets. Their sleep patterns may be different from your own and may affect your
sleep.

Things to avoid

Don't take naps during the
day.

Don't use tobacco, especially near bedtime and/or if you wake up
during the night. Nicotine is a stimulant, which can keep you
awake.

Don't lie in bed awake for too long. If you can't fall
asleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to
sleep within 15 minutes or so, get out of bed and go to another room until you
feel sleepy.

Test Your Knowledge

Napping during the day will help me practice falling
asleep so that I can do it better at night.

If you are tossing and turning, you should not
stay in bed until you fall asleep. Use the bed as a place for sleep, not
sleeplessness. If you aren't asleep within 15 or 20 minutes, go to another room
and do a quiet activity like reading until you feel sleepy.

If you are tossing and turning, you should not
stay in bed until you fall asleep. Use the bed as a place for sleep, not
sleeplessness. If you aren't asleep within 15 or 20 minutes, go to another room
and do a quiet activity like reading until you feel sleepy.

Now that you have read this
information, you are ready to take some steps toward improving your sleep. You
may have to try a few different lifestyle changes until you find what works
best for you. If these changes don't help you sleep better after you have tried
them for 2 weeks, talk to your doctor.

If you would like more information on sleep problems, the
following resources are available:

Organization

National Sleep Foundation

1010 North Glebe Road

Suite 310

Arlington, VA 22201

Phone:

(703) 243-1697

Email:

nsf@sleepfoundation.org

Web Address:

www.sleepfoundation.org

The National Sleep Foundation, an independent nonprofit
organization, can provide you with brochures on sleep disorders and a list of
accredited sleep disorder clinics.

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How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.